Watt v. State

The defendant appeals his criminal conviction and sentence for carrying a concealed firearm. He argues that the trial court erred in admitting into evidence a letter from the Department of Agriculture indicating that he had not been granted a license to carry a concealed firearm. We agree that this was inadmissible hearsay. However, because the absence of a license was not an element of the crime, and the defendant’s defense at trial was not that he had a license for the gun, but, rather, that he never had it in his possession, we find that the error was harmless and affirm.

At trial, Officer…